


we can tune out everyone else

by KatastrophicTodd



Series: Social Media AU written works [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Best Friends, Bisexuality, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Gen, Polyamory, Social Media AU, Stephanie Brown Needs a Hug, jason and stephanie are best friends and love each other so much, jason is supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 14:11:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20816459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatastrophicTodd/pseuds/KatastrophicTodd
Summary: They stared ahead, hearing sirens pass and cars race and guns being shot. What a fucking city. They both sighed.“I’m sorry.”Jason turned, thinking he heard wrong.“What?” he said in awe. He saw Steph frown. “Why?”.~ Jason's a good best friend.





	we can tune out everyone else

**Author's Note:**

> THIS WORK IS PART OF MY SOCIAL MEDIA AU ON [TUMBLR](https://batfamilysocialmediamess.tumblr.com/)
> 
> but i guess you can read it without context. though it may be a bit confusing in some parts.
> 
> [you can read my social media au here](https://batfamilysocialmediamess.tumblr.com/post/187127916075/part-1-some-random-tweets-from-steph-part-2)
> 
> title from "Off She Goes" by Bad Suns

Going to college while being a vigilante wasn’t a very smart decision, but Jason Todd had never prided himself on being the rational one in the family.

The bags under his eyes and the bruises on his skin weren’t uncommon in Gotham, anyway. Everybody had their burden. He used to check on classmates who sported bruises or moved like they were hurting, just to make sure Red Hood wouldn’t have to beat up an abusive relative or partner. Half of those times, they had been unlucky enough to get caught in some villain’s schemes and Jason made sure to sign them up in Bruce’s list of victims who would need compensation. The other half… let’s just say that Red Hood was beginning to be considered a protector of the youth.

Which was very weird, with him being only nineteen. But he was happy to let people think he was much older because it commanded respect. Of course, Gordon and some of the Rogues knew how young he was, but they had seen him in action, which commanded the kind of respect Jason was more comfortable with.

He adjusted the strap of his messenger bag on his shoulder and started up the stairs of Gotham University, trying not to push anyone.

This was his dream when he was little, to be able to come to the GU and study with the best. Bruce Wayne had been paying the best professors himself to teach here. They were experts in all their fields. Jason himself had some of the most famous experts on Literature and performing arts. He had to give it to Bruce: he may be a capitalist jerk, but he invested in his people.

GU was a “public” university, but there were some strict admission policies. Gotham-born people were prioritized and those were from outside Gotham had to move into the city in order to be accepted. There were also three different Wayne Scholarships, depending on your economic situation and grades. WE had a whole department dedicated to evaluate the cases individually.

So, yeah, Bruce had always been a big deal when it came to education. It was a shame that so few brilliant students remained in the city.

Jason’s first two periods were at the university theatre. They were rehearsing for a production of _Macbeth_. Jason still didn’t know how he’d managed to land the main role. He wondered if he should feel concerned, considering his teacher had seen him fit to portray a mad tyrant. He supposed there was nothing he could really do, except giving his best.

Jason was on his way to the theatre when he saw a familiar blonde head. He felt his breath catch. He’d been avoiding Steph in case she still was mad at him. He’d told himself that it was to let her have some alone time to think, but the truth was that he was terrified. He’d imagined all kinds of scenarios where Steph would tell him to fuck off and never talk to her, or where she told him she was tired of his bullshit (which would be understandable).

Jason squared his shoulders and walked towards her. Her friends saw him before she did, whispering to her. Her shoulders tensed. Jason felt the knot in his gut getting tighter.

“Steph?” His voice wavered a little. He cleared his throat.

Stephanie looked above her shoulder with a strange look. Jason saw her twisting the hair tie on her wrist around her finger. She always did that when she was nervous. He could only hope it wasn’t because she didn’t want to be around him.

“Hey,” she sounded unsure.

“Can we talk?” He look past her to the other students, who weren’t even pretending to mind their own business.

“Sure,” she gestured with her head for him to follow.

They walked in silence, some late students from both of their classes giving them strange looks as they went to the back door. They stepped outside.

“Cute beanie,” Steph said as they leaned against the stone wall.

“Thanks,” Jason said, absentmindedly touching the Batwoman logo on it. He bit his lip. “What class did you have?”

“Philosophy.”

“Damn. Sorry.”

“I don’t mind, it’s kinda depressing.” She waved her hand.

They stared ahead, hearing sirens pass and cars race and guns being shot. What a fucking city. They both sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

Jason turned, thinking he heard wrong.

“What?” he said in awe. He saw Steph frown. “Why?”

“I just.” She looked like she wanted to punch something. “I’m not having the best time right now and I took it out on you.”

“No,” he stepped in front of her. She didn’t meet his eyes. “Steph, no. I was being selfish. I didn’t even ask about how you were feeling.”

“Jay.” Her voice sounded so sad. Jason wanted to hug her. “You’re supposed to talk about your problems with your friends. I want you to talk about your problems with me. I can’t punish you because you’re willing to talk about your feelings and I just bottle things up.”

Her lip trembled.

“Can I hug you?” Jason asked.

Stephanie let out a strangled sound and threw her arms around him. She was making it difficult for Jason to breathe, but he wasn’t going to complain. He just hugged her back while her shoulders shook.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Steph didn’t answer for some minutes. Jason was ready to let it drop and just be happy with whatever she wanted to give. But then she stepped back, rubbing her eyes and clearing her throat.

“Bruce…” she said. “Bruce and I have some issues. And things got complicated and now he looks at me all the time like he thinks…”

“Wait. Wait.” Jason put his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not following.”

“Okay.” She sighed and clasped her hands, trying to find the words. “I think I’m bi.”

Again, Jason wasn’t sure if he’d heard right.

“As in bisexual?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“I’m really happy that you told me, don’t get me wrong,” he said when she didn’t add anything else. “But what does that have to do with Bruce?”

“I think he knows.”

“Right.”

Jason stared for a minute.

“I still don’t see why that’s a problem. Has he been and asshole about it? Because I’ll punch him so hard that he’ll be able to see his parents.”

“No.” She frowned. “It’s not that.”

Jason waited until she talked again. Steph whipped her hair past her shoulders.

“Okay, so, I’m his son’s girlfriend.”

“Shit, I always forget you two are together.”

“And I like another person.” She continued.

“Wait, is it a girl?”

“Yes.”

“So that’s how you found out you were bi?”

“Yes.”

“Nice.”

“Focus.”

Jason breathed deeply, taking it all in.

“Do you like this girl as much as you like Tim?” He didn’t say love. He didn’t want to overwhelm her.

“I think so.” She looked like she was going to cry.

“Well, that’s alright. Maybe you’re poly.” Jason smiled. Steph still looked sad. “How would Bruce know who you like?”

“He’s seen me around her. I think it’s pretty obvious, if you know where to look.” She laughed bitterly. “I mean, I had, like, an epiphany. And then I was like, damn, that was so obvious.”

“Well, Bruce can’t tell you who you can love. But I think you should talk to Tim.”

She paled. Jason had the feeling that he was missing some vital information. Maybe Tim had made some comments about monogamy? Or about that girl?

“Hey, I’m sure Timmers will be supportive.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, still smiling. She murmured something under her breath. “What?”

“It’s more complicated than that,” she replied. He looked directly at her. She looked over his shoulder and talked quietly. “It’s Cass.”

For a minute there, Jason thought she was talking about Sandsmark, which would be kind of weird because she was Tim’s ex. But he was sure Tim would be okay. And then he looked Steph in the eyes and saw the tears. The uncertainty and fear.

Damn.

“Oh.”

_Really helpful, shithead_.

He could see why Bruce would be concerned, to an extent. Or why he would want to supervise the situation. It could get messy, at home. But Cassandra was one hell of a woman. She was very intelligent and very kind. And could make her own decisions. And so could Steph and Tim.

Jason suppressed the urge to explain how Bruce’s mind worked to Stephanie, because fuck him. He could explain himself, he was a middle-aged man.

Instead, he hugged Stephanie again.

“I love you. And I love my siblings,” Jason whispered in her ear. She sobbed. “I’ll help you out, okay?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ll test the waters with Tim. I’ll yell to Bruce.”

She grimaced.

“I don’t wanna cause trouble between you.”

“He needs a wakeup call from time to time.” Jason snorted.

His phone made a sound inside his messenger bag. The sound that he only used for Talia.

Jason frowned.

He rummaged inside the bag and fished out his phone. A slow smile spread in Jason’s face. It looked like Tim’s sense of humor wasn’t universal. She had called him yesterday to talk about his tweet.

** _Tell him that, where he’s concerned, we are indeed the “fucking humor police”._ **

He brushed it off when Stephanie asked. He’d have to call Tals later.

“Wait,” Steph frowned. “It’s Monday.”

“Yeah.”

“You have your rehearsals on Mondays,” she said, punching him in the arm. She was strong enough to make Jason let out a surprised sound.

“Um, yeah.” He scratched his neck.

Steph knew how important the production was for him. It made him feel self-conscious.

“You ditched rehearsals for me?” Her eyes went soft, looking at him.

“Don’t be a sap.”

“_You’re_ the sap.”

“Whatever, I have rehearsals,” Jason said, amused. He turned to the door.

“See you for lunch?” Steph called out.

“You got it,” he flashed her a smile.

It was so fucking good to see her smile right back.

**Author's Note:**

> [you can read my social media au here](https://batfamilysocialmediamess.tumblr.com/post/187127916075/part-1-some-random-tweets-from-steph-part-2)
> 
> tell me what you thought about the story!


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